A new Martelly project
 

Recently I bought this really nice Martelly frame. Paint and chrome in superb condition and suitable for a Campagnolo Chorus 8 speed Ergopower group I had laying around. It has the eyelets on the frame for the cable routing so I suspect it has to be mid '90s. But it is made from Super Vitus 983 tubing, isn't that from the '80s? Can anyone conform this, or get me in touch with Martelly? Google can't help me with contact details.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...59940b98f6.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9ef383c5aa.jpg

Nice, something you don't see often. I'll look in my email when I get home tonight and see how I contacted them years ago. He did respond to me and told me what year mine was when I sent him some pictures. Mine was a 1985. Here's a picture of how I had it set up when I stupidly sold it.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bc266fb7d8.jpg

Here's a gallery of detailed pics is you want to try and compare things. Eddy didn't know how mine wound up with the crazy fade paint job or the Ribble decals.

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/martelly


I'll check back in this evening an let you know if I found the email. I seem to remember finding and active webpage and getting contact info from there. At the time he still had frames available for sale.

Thank you, hope you still have an email adress. Nice looking bike, a bit niche colours but the lugs look the same as on my bike.

Found it.
martelly@skynet.be

My last email with Eddy was back in 2020. As a courtesy when I contact overseas builders I use google translate on the first simple email to convert to their language. Then if they respond in english I'll continue that way. I've had good luck with receiving responses from the foreign builders doing this.

Hope the email is still good.


This old post may help too with a link to the site. Couldn't validate that it works still while at work.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...age-steel.html

Nice looking frame!

Ive got a Martelly frame hanging in the garage rafters . Its an old beat up Diamant race frame ,excellent quality .

Beautiful frame. Looking forward to seeing it built up!

Email has been sent. I once contacted Eddy Martens before about a Loverdi frame so I used a different email adress that I used before via his contact form on his (non-existing) website. Fingers crossed!

Supervitus 983 was the slightly heavier gauge version of the 980 tubeset. It was made for builders and bike companies that wanted a stiffer frame than if it was made from the lighter 980 version.
The 983 tubesets were used by bike companies like Gitane on their mod 80's bikes.
IIRC, the Supervitus tubesets were supposedly heat treated like Reynolds 753 tubing. Which they are sometimes compared to.

Ah that is still a bit odd than. 753 tubing was cancelled during the 80's if I am correct. My frame is all about the 90's, with its 130 mm rear spacing and eyelets for shifter cables. Also the paintjob is not actually 80's. 2 Options I suppose, either an 80's frame that was updated in the 90's, or it is a 90's frame but built with older tubing.

Unfortunately no response from mr. Martens yet.

I got a reply from Eddy Martens. He assumes it was made in the first half of the '90s as a basic frame for recreational use. So although it looks high end, it was actually an entry level frame. It was painted at Borgardi in Beringen (Belgium). So I will continue to this built with my 1995 Campagnolo Chorus groupset.

Beautiful frame.

What makes this entry level exactly?
SuperVitus, lots of chrome, beautiful paint. Is it just because it has no Columbus tubing? Or were there other budget constraints?

IF that's entry level, I want to enter whatever level that is. IT's a beauty.

I would expect Martelly's entry level not to differ much from De Rosa's entry level or Colnagos' entry level.

Well, if the manufacturer says it is an entry level frame, it will be so or am I dumb? I have sent pictures so he must have seen what frame it was. Indeed it looks (and feels) much more higher end, no questions about that!
Also I know from the previous owner it was equipped with a DA 7400 groupset, so it will not be your average entry level frame.

While it may not be the nicest frame to have come out of the Martens workshop, it is far removed from what is generally perceived as "entry level" on this forum.

It is a very nice frame, and '95 Chorus is the perfect choice, IMO. :thumb:

100% agree with non-fixie . Even if it was the lowest level bike they produced, it's clearly a high class frame and Chorus would be great for it. Were it mine, I'd mount 10 speed triple Campagnolo of whatever level I had that looked prettiest on it without a second thought, but 10 speed triple Campagnolo is my answer to every bike setup (almost).